Dreamy Images Reveal Beauty in Physics

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A dreamy new exhibition of images showcases the art of physics,
from the beauty of a bubble rising to the flow of water around
coral.

The images, part of the American Physical Society's Division of
Fluid Dynamics Gallery of Fluid Motion, are drawn from the most
artistic and evocative research presented at the
Fluid Dynamics annual meeting. The meeting was held from Nov.
18-20 in San Diego.

A panel of referees chose the images based on artistic merit and
ability to represent complex physics topics. Among the honorees
is a photograph of a flow of honey spiraling as it hits the
surface of water in a crystal goblet, representing "liquid rope
coiling," a physics phenomenon that should be familiar to anyone
who has ever poured a stream of honey onto a biscuit. In the
water, the coiled flow stretches and deforms before settling on
the bottom of the glass. [ See
the Fluid Dynamics Images ]

Another image shows a beautiful blue-and-white mix of water and
an elastic solution made of polyacrylamide, which is used in the
process of making soft contact lenses. The image shows the water
and the blue-dyed polyacrylamide undergoing a "hydraulic jump,"
which occurs when a fluid changes from a fast, parallel (or
laminar) flow into a slow, turbulent flow.

In one multiple-exposure image
a shiny bubble rises to the top of a tank, transforming into
a donut shape because of pressure differences between the top and
bottom of the bubble. Another striking photograph shows the water
disturbances caused by hairlike cilia on coral, which are marine
animals made up of a polyp ringed with tentacles. As coral beat
these tiny appendages, they stir the water, which may increase
the rates of photosynthesis for the algae that live on them,
while keeping at bay nasty microbial pathogens.

One image even has a do-it-yourself flare. A yard faucet attached
to a specialized inlet and acrylic tube creates a spraying plate
of water that disintegrates around the edges into playful
droplets. This simple feature could be used in home yard
displays and landscaping fountains, according to the creators.

The honored images will be printed in the journal Physics of
Fluids and will be on display at the annual meeting of the
American Physical Society in Baltimore between March 18 and 22.